Image One Camera and Video — Attraction in Riverside

ED** HAVE YOU SEEN THEIR RESPONSE TO MY REVIEW? THAT SHOULD SHOW YOU HOW RUDE SHADI AND HIS TEAM IS.

EDIT** I AM NOT A ROBOT OR MACHINE! I AM ACTUAL CUSTOMER WHO VISITED YOUR AWFUL STORE

Image One Camera and Video is a joke.

In the past couple of times that I have visited Image One, I have never felt so unwanted before. Their staff is rude, arrogant and unwelcoming (Yes, I am looking at you Bill).

The pricing is ridiculously marked up beyond retail value. They once tried to sell me a Canon 85mm f/1.2 at least $200-300 above retail value, but I'll get to more about their pricing later. And don't even get me started on their 15% re-stocking fee on returns.

I want to talk about their staff and my multiple experiences visiting this god-awful place. For some unknown other-worldly act of nature, for the times that I have come into this store, I have only been helped by Bill. It seems, for the most part, that other employees cease to exist (Or just sit in the corner gossiping about their mundane lives).

Bill. Why are you so difficult to approach? Why is it that you come off with a foul distaste for your job? As if seeing I, the customer, upon walking into your store immediately puts you into a "I hate this job" mentality. Even after your unenthusiastic greeting, your vast unnecessary knowledge of cameras and lenses has nothing to do remotely with a question that I asked. Does it make you feel superior that you work at a camera store and believe you hold all the information in the world about products of photography, when your target audience is professional photographers? I don't expect to come into a store with questions and leave feeling talked down upon because I either come off "uneducated" or "stupid." You should be welcoming the customer with open arms and smiles. After all, camera stores are a dying market. Your customers are the only reason you are still afloat, but a rude staff is no way to do business. I would hate to see you guys go down as hard as Ritz Camera did.

I think the only positive thing (which still manages to have negatives) is the fact that you guys offer repairs. It's great to not have to send off my gear to the manufacturer and not have to wait to several weeks. Somehow you guys even manage to mess this up. For instance, the shutter on my camera recently died. I came in, along with a new shutter assembly part, and had asked what you charge to replace it. I was told that I would need to leave my camera along with a $20 deposit in order for your technician to look at it to find the problem and then get back to me with a estimate of much it will be. It's a joke, really. I already know what is wrong with my camera. Why do I need to put down a $20 deposit to have someone else find out what I already know. No, it doesn't have internal fungus. No, I don't want my camera cleaned. Why don't you offer a direct price for something so simple? I ended up switching out the shutter myself (after watching few YouTube tuts) and probably saved myself hundreds of dollars.

I don't know why I continuously visit this store only to leave unsatisfied each and every time. The staff is rude. The prices are marked up and the selection is limited. Don't even get my started on their website. That deserves an entire review of it's own.

All in all. This place is terrible. I would love to support my local camera shop but how can I do so when the front face of their business repels customers. I hope that someday, they will change the way they look at their customers. For the sake of their business, it...

TERRIBLE customer service and HORRIBLE business practices. First of all I want to say that I never write negative reviews of businesses I try to be fair and understanding however this review could not go unwritten. I went into this camera store to return a camera lens I had purchased a few days back. It was not gonna work for me and my style of shooting. As soon as I walked in and voiced I was sadly there to return this item the demeanor of all three people behind the counter changed. They were no longer friendly and polite. They acted as if they had never had anyone return an item and pretty much kept insisting I keep it or to exchange something I did not want to keep. 30 minutes later (no joke) I was still in there trying to get my money back and voice that I did not want it, I had to pretty much convince them it wasn't my style and explain over and over again that I wanted to return this. I was then told that I would be charged a 15 percent restocking fee. I must add that the lens was in stock and did not have to come from a warehouse, In fact they just turned around and put it back behind the display. Not certain why a restocking fee had to be applied. They opened the box (which appeared in new condition because I only used it for 10 minutes) and they insisted the hood was missing...I said the hood was inside the box with everything it came with. Sure enough it was in there. Then they said they second hood was not there...I said "the second hood is inside the first hood inside the box." I felt like I was being mistreated and flat out punished for deciding not to keep it. I said okay to this fee as I wanted to leave and thought the punishment was over... well sure enough they managed to make things worse. I purchased the lens for $540 and was charged a $157 restocking fee!!!!! More than 25 percent!!! When I inquired about this absurd amount I was told the %15 restocking fee was based off the Retail price of the lens not what I paid them for it and the retail price was almost $1,000 so I was being charged off that price!!!! Unbelievable not only that but I was also told the %15 fee was subjective it could be higher than that. Who determined if it is higher than that? I am still in awe that with these terrible business practices and pretty much punishing their customers for changing their mind they are able to stay in business. I drove from Lake Arrowhead to Riverside for the simple reason that I wanted my dollars to go to a local business not a big box store. But as it turns out I have had a million times better treatment when dealing with Adorama, Amazon, Best Buy, and Sammy's. I will be contacting the BBB in regard to their business practices and "punishment fees". Please steer clear of this business sadly you are better ordering online or from place that treats you politely when you purchase and item and when your return it if need be. Would give zero starts...

#update 8/12/23#

Sorry I haven’t updated guys as soon as I got my camera back I hit the ground running. Literally the day after this post the owner reached out to me personally to help find a resolution and clear up anything I might have miss understood. I will say I can appreciate getting a personal phone call from the man himself. After explaining my situation, I was assured that communication would improve and it did, I was happy with the fact that I had a better idea of when I would be getting my camera back. I appreciate and love the level of professionalism I was given, this what I remember most about why I like Image One.

Again sorry for updating taking long to update this review. I will see you guys soon for either a new lense or that FX30.

I honestly loved this place and I always told people if they needed cameras to come here cause they take care of their customers. On June 9th, I dropped off my camera for repairs, I was told that I would receive a phone call from their technician to let me know if needed to be sent out to Sony or not. Since the day I dropped off my camera, I’ve had to call them for any type of update. I get it you guys can get busy, but you should be able to pick up a phone and say “we’ve check out your camera, needs to be sent to Sony, it should about 4-6 weeks for it to be ready”. we use this equipment make money and I feel like I should kno how long I’d have to rent or borrow another camera for my shoots. Man I wish I can remember the name of the gentleman I spoke with but he kinda rude about explaining something to me that was never explained and I as told him “I’m only trying to figure out what’s going on with my camera, no one has called me since the day I dropped it off”. From what I can see on these other negative comments, Communication is important and A simple phone call with a simple explanation almost 5 weeks ago could’ve avoided this post. My only ask is serious work on your communication skills and updates such as “sir, it looks like the camera needs to be sent out for repairs, it will be about 4-6 weeks.” I don’t know if maybe someone just dropped the ball or if they feel they just didn’t need to communicate, either way this has definitely made questions future purchases...